EDITOR'S CHOICEIndia to issue immediate medical visas to patients from SAARC countriesMedical experts said that the new initiative will attract many more patients to the country, especially Chennai, and boost the healthcare industry. It will also help promote medical tourism in India.Most of the patients come for cardiac problems, orthopaedics, neurological

problems and a few for transplants. About 80%-90% of international patients arriving in India, land in Chennai, to avail of medical facilities in the hospitals there. Read more >>

HOSPITALS

KEF Holdings to invest INR 5.5 bln in Premium Medical Healthcare Providers Hospital in CalicutThe hospital will be a 500-bed tertiary care facility, constructed in two phases for cardiology, orthopaedics and neurosciences. Read more >>

Philips Healthcare aims to provide eICU services in up to 30,000 beds in the next five yearsThese beds will cover hospitals of tier II and III cities, and will be part of the company’s expansion plans. Up to six more elCU support centres will be added in the next two years to support this expansion. Read more >>

Saket City Hospital to expand network with an aim to have 2,000 beds by 2022 in north IndiaIt has kept its options open to acquire existing healthcare facilities and is looking to tap markets in smaller cities. The hospital also announced an INR 3 billion expansion of its facility at Saket in South Delhi. Read more >>

Rainbow Hospitals to invest INR 1 bln to open two facilities in BangaloreOne of the facilities will be near Whitefield and another will be in Jayanagar. The group is also planning to set up units in Chennai, Visakhapatnam and another in Hyderabad with 100 beds. Read more >>

Apollo Hospitals aims to open 500 sugar clinics by end-2019 in India and overseasThe move will help spread its network of diabetes care programme. It will have 50 of these clinics in India by end-2014. Outside India, the healthcare provider is mulling expansion in the Middle East countries.Read more >>

DEALS

Narayana Health to acquire controlling stake in Westbank Hospital for INR 2 blnThe deal is beneficial for Narayana Health as it would increase its presence in the eastern part of India. The hospital chain has been keen to make its foothold firm in the low-cost model of hospitals and has an ambition of having a total capacity of around 30,000 beds in the next five to seven years. Read more >>

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

Healthcare providers expected to spend USD 1.1 bln on IT products and services in 2014According to Gartner, spend by the sector on IT will grow 5% y/y in 2014. IT services will be the largest overall spending category and may reach USD 300 million. Read more >>

Sakra World Hospital signs MoU with Partners Medical InternationalSakra World Hospital is a JV between the Kirloskar group, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and SECOM of Japan. Under the collaboration, it will look into widening the possibilities of treatments for End Stage Heart Failure patients and bring world-class treatment options for heart patients in India. Read more >>

Apollo Hospitals plans to expand in rural areasThe hospital chain plans to add at least 14 Reach Hospitals in rural regions at a cost of INR 18 billion by 2016 and plans more in the coming years. Read more >>